As 2015 kicks off and we look forward to spring and the coming of the Words on the Water festival, we thought it a worthwhile moment to reflect on some notable 2014 milestones for two of our upcoming authors, Kathleen Winter and Steven Galloway. These end of the year reflections have our committee feeling excited for the literary delights to come one cold and foggy Friday evening in the not too distant future.

Kathleen Winter’s book Boundless: Tracing Land and Dream in a New Northwest Passage made Quill and Quire’s list of Top Book of the Year. As one of only fifteen books to appear on the list, the editor writes:

If there is one piece of advice I’ll take away from the books that crossed my desk this year, it’s from Kathleen Winters’ friend, who advised her to pack a getaway bag in case of unexpected travel opportunities. Thank god she did, because otherwise we might not have Boundless, Winter’s stunning memoir of journeying through the Northwest passage. Winter’s personal reflections on marriage, family, and past relationships, combined with her poetic observations of the Northern geography and people, breath new energy into the traditional travelogue format.

Also worth celebrating is the accomplishments of Steven Gallaway for his most recent work, The Confabulist. Galloway is also the author of Finnie Walsh, Ascension, and The Cellist of Sarajevo. The Confabulist saw Galloway as a top finalist for the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize. The jury wrote:

“Shredding and reassembling history into a thrilling story that is part spy mystery and part historical intrigue, The Confabulistchallenges our notions of what is real and what is illusion. Like a well-executed stage show, this novel does the truly remarkable on every page, creating a sprawling story with taut, precise prose. Steven Galloway manages, like his central figure, Harry Houdini, to do the seemingly impossible right in front of our eyes over and over again — even when we’re watching for it — beguiling us and making it look easy.”

Undoubtably, the mystery that is the Words on the Water festival will evoke some prize-winning moments of its own. Be sure to purchase Early Bird tickets online through our website while still available.

"To Thomasina people were rivers, always ready to move from one state of being into another. It was not fair, she felt, to treat people as if they were finished beings. Everyone was always becoming and unbecoming.” - Kathleen Winter, Annabel

_Festival updates: The 2015 Words on the Water﻿﻿Writers' Festival is taking shape and the organizing committee is excited to announce this year's writers, as well as some changes to our website.

1) 2015 Authors Each year's festival is flavoured not just by the individual writers, but by the chemistry of the group as a whole. Earlier this week the festival committee finalised the eight authors who will be coming to Campbell River this spring. They are an inspiring blend of leading creative minds and we are pleased to introduce them to you here:

2) New website and online ticket salesThe festival website has been refreshed with a new look and additional features, which has enabled us to offer ticket sales onlinefor 2015. We hope this will be more convenient for festival goers, as well as make for smoother administration for our volunteers. Weekendand single session passesare available now and are already beginning to sell. They make excellent gifts for the literature lovers on your list!